Dark and Twisty Life
by Meg Nik
Summary: Based after Season 6 finale. Meredith comes back to work, while Derek is still recovering, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Not really good at summaries so read on to find out.Now Complete! Keep your eyes open for the sequel "Bright and Shiny Life"
1. Prologue

Prologue

**A/N: I do not own any Grey's Anatomy characters, although I wish I did. This is just a prologue so it's kinda short. It was just something that came into my head as a ditch to get out of homework. So please read and review and I'll try to have chapter one up shortly.**

Meredith Grey walks into Seattle Grace-Mercy West Hospital. It had been 3 months since that horrible day of the shooting. Even though the hospital hasn't changed since the shooting, Meredith still couldn't bring herself to look up at the catwalk. Derek was doing better, even though he wasn't ready to come back to work. He was healing very well, but emotionally and psychologically wasn't ready to come back to work.

"Hey, Mer! Wait up!" Cristina Yang screamed trying to get Meredith's attention.

"Hey Cristina. How's Owen doing?" Meredith asked walking towards the resident locker room.

"He's doing much better, thanks to you." Cristina opened the door and held it for Meredith.

"Well you are my person. We have to stick together don't we." Meredith and Cristina opened their lockers and were getting ready for the day.

"What are you two going all mushy about now?" Alex said rounding the corner from the other row of lockers.

"Well if it isn't Mr. I'm too macho to get a bullet out of my chest." Cristina egged Alex on.

"I'm going to rounds now you two, please behave." Meredith headed out of the door.

Meredith walked through the hospital, still reliving that day every time she rounded a corner. No matter how hard she tried, she would never forget how horrific that day was.


	2. Shut Up and Drive

Shut Up and Drive

**A/N: I do not own any of the characters or the part about Derek driving too fast. As ya'll know that's from the season 7 premiere, but I liked it so I threw that in the mix. I figured it would make it interesting. Read and Review. Please **

Meredith walked in from her shift at Seattle Grace- Mercy West. "Derek, I'm home. Where are you?" She looked around and couldn't find him. She didn't even hear a noise. Where could he be?

Derek Shepherd was driving down Interstate 5 doing 150 mph. _I love the feel of driving this fast. If I can survive a shooting I can survive anything._ Derek thinking he was invincible did not notice the Washington State Patrol behind him. Derek looked up in the mirror, and saw flashing lights. "Damn it. Meredith is gonna kill me."

Just when Meredith was going to call the police, her phone rang. "Hello," She answered.

"Mrs. Shepherd. This is Officer Winningham with the Washington State Police. Your husband is under arrest in the Seattle jail. You can come pick him up if you would like."

"Thank you officer." Meredith grabbed her keys and ran out the door. _I'm going to kill Derek. This is like the fifth time he has done this. He's not invincible. I don't know what I'm going to do if something happens to him again. Now I know how he felt during the times I got hurt._

_What is taking Mer so long._ Derek was sitting in a jail cell looking around at the other convicts and thinking how he could get an adrenaline rush without getting caught by the cops. He heard a door open and Meredith's voice. "What were you thinking? Do you know the next time you do this they are pulling your driver's license? Are you insane?" Meredith let him have it.

"I'm sorry, Mer. I love you. Don't be mad." Derek said grinning at how adrenaline was still running through him.

"I don't think this is funny. What are you laughing at?" Meredith was fuming.

"Nothing," Derek said trying to stop grinning.

"Come on, the idiot I love. Let's take you home and take away the keys."

When they got home, Meredith at first wouldn't talk to Derek. Meredith finally got sick of the silence and said, "What the hell were you thinking? You could have been killed. What do you want to do? Leave me alone with nothing to remember you by. I already went through that once."

"Calm down, Mer," Derek said realizing how pissed off Meredith was. "I was just having fun."

"Sure you were. I don't think driving at 150 mph is fun. I think it's reckless."

"I know I'm sorry. How can I make it up to you?"

"You know what you can do if you feel up to it."

**Sorry this chapter is so short. It was bedtime when I was writing this and wanted to get this wrote before I fell asleep and the idea left my head for good. Please review. I want to know what ya'll think. It also motivates me and helps me with my writer's block to know people are waiting on the next part of the story. I get annoyed when author's take forever and a day to update. I may not update tomorrow but I promise I'll be writing the next chapter. School waits for no one. **


	3. PS I Love You

P.S. I Love You

**A/N: Thanks to edwardbella4ever4773 for reviewing. I'll try to make this next chapter longer for you. :) But I need more reviews. Reviews inspire me to write faster.**

Meredith woke up in Derek's arms the next morning. _I love this feeling._ She looked over at the sleeping form that was her husband. "You don't know how much I love you."

"Hmmmmm," Derek mumbled. He slowly woke up and opened his eyes. Looking over at his beautiful wife he said, "I love you, too, Mer. And I'm sorry again for yesterday. That was very stupid of me."

"It's okay. I still love your stupid self." Meredith said laughing.

"Let's go get some breakfast." Derek got up and threw on some boxers and shorts.

"Ok, I'll be down in a minute," Meredith said as she started getting on her clothes.

When Meredith got down to the kitchen, she saw Derek and Alex Karev cooking pancakes, eggs, and bacon. "Is this going to be edible?" Meredith asked jokingly.

"Now, now Grey, we can cook when we put our minds to it." Alex glanced up from the eggs with his cocky grin.

"Sit down Mer. What do you want to drink? Milk? Orange juice?"

"Orange juice will be fine. Thank you, Derek," Meredith smiled.

"You're welcome, honey." Derek sat Meredith's orange juice down on the table and leaned over and kissed her.

"Eat up, Grey," Alex said as he sat down two plates heaped with food.

"Do you think I'm actually going to be able to eat all of this?" Meredith looked at Alex in disbelief.

"Well I'm sure you're going to need it from what I heard from your bedroom last night."

"Sorry if we kept you up last night, Karev," Derek looked at Alex laughing.

Meredith ate what she could and got up to go get ready for work. "I'm going to go get ready for work."

"Meredith," Derek called her from the bedroom.

"Yea," Meredith called back from the shower.

Next thing Meredith knew, Derek was in the shower with her. "Want to continue where we left off last night?"

Meredith looked at her husband lovingly, "I wish I could, babe, but I got to get to the hospital for rounds. Why don't you accompany me today? It would do you some good to get out of the house."

"No, I'll stay here today." Derek was looking at her with a glazed faraway look in his eyes.

"Ok, but I don't want to get any calls from the police again. So stay here and be good. Don't worry me too much, okay?" Meredith said as she got out of the shower.

"Ok I'll be good today, I suppose." Derek said with disappointment laced in his voice.

"I love you, Derek Shepherd. You'll always be my knight in shining whatever." Meredith grabbed her stuff and headed out the door.

Meredith was preoccupied worrying about Derek. Her interns could tell as well.

April Kepner looked at Meredith. "What's wrong Meredith?"

"Nothing. What are ya'll still doing standing here staring at me? Get to work." Meredith sometimes hated having interns. They were needy and always got in the way. She wondered if that's how Bailey felt when she had Meredith, George, Izzie, Cristina, and Alex as interns. Cristina came around the corner screaming at her interns. "Hey Mer, two and four are being idiots today. Now get to work."

"Being harsh today, I see." Meredith said looking at her "person."

"Yea, so how's Derek doing today?" Cristina was looking over a patient's chart.

"Well considering he got arrested yesterday for reckless driving, good I guess."

"He's going crazy in the house I take it," Cristina laughed, "I've never known Dr. Shepherd to stay locked up in the house this long."

"I asked him if he wanted to come and hang out here today, one so I can keep an eye on him, and two so he wouldn't get into anymore trouble out of the house." Meredith had a worried look on her face.

"I guess he doesn't feel comfortable coming back here yet." Cristina looked at Meredith. "I gotta go. Got surgery to attend to."

"Bye, Cristina."


	4. I'm So Sick

**I'm So Sick (thanks elleluvssev with the title (: ily )**

**A/N: Thanks to my best friend, elleluvssev, for helping me with my writer's block. Thanks edwardbella4ever4773 and MD4EVER for reviewing. I still need more reviews. Being in the elementary education program kinda sucks the creativity out of me so I'm up to ideas as well. So please review comments, suggestions, ideas, anything.** **Sorry that this update took so long to get going. I had a lot of school obligations in the past few weeks, but I will try to keep up this time with schoolwork and this story. :) Enjoy!**

A couple of weeks had passed since Derek had done some of his reckless driving stunts and got arrested. Derek was back at work; not as chief, however, because he hated it so bad before he got shot. Dr. Webber was glad to take back the post since he was so use to doing it.

Meredith and Derek walked into the hospital, ready for some action. Seeing Cristina ahead, Meredith leaned closer to Derek and kissed him. "I'll see you in a little while. I love you."

"I love you, too. Have a good day." Derek kissed his wife back and headed to the locker room. Derek walked in to find Owen getting ready for the day. "Hey, Owen, how's life with Cristina going on this fine day?"

Owen looked up grinning. "As good as it can be I guess."

"True. Living with Cristina isn't easy, is it?"

"Nope. Not at all."

Meanwhile, Meredith was talking to Cristina in the on-call room with the door locked.

"I have been so sick the last week. Do you think I can be pregnant? I thought I would have trouble after the miscarriage." Meredith was freaking out. She also didn't tell Derek about the miscarriage and wasn't planning on it, either.

"It's a possibility. From what Alex has told me, there's a large possibility."

"I'm gonna kill him. When did he tell you this?"

"The day after ya'll did it last. Wasn't it like two weeks ago?"

"Yea." Meredith was realizing what could be going on. "You don't think it's possible do you?"

"There is a possibility. Have you taken a test yet?" Cristina looked over at "her person."

"Well, no. This is the first time it has crossed my mind." Meredith creased her forehead, wondering if it truly was possible. She realized she had called out of work twice last week because she was hugging the porcelain throne the whole entire time. "Well I guess I should take a test just to prove you and Alex wrong. There is no way I'm already pregnant again."

"Whatever you say." Cristina walked off, heading to the O.R. to perform an aortic valve replacement surgery.

Meredith walked to the nurse's station in search of Derek. April was the only one there unfortunately. "Hey, April. Have you seen Derek?"

"He just went to check on a post-op patient."

"Ok, thanks." Meredith walked the halls in search of her husband. She found him walking out of a patient's room about ten minutes later. "Hey, can I talk to you?"

"Sure. What about?" Derek was grinning at his wife wondering what it was that was bugging her.

"Do you think I may be pregnant?" Meredith looked at her husband.

"I don't know. Do you want to take a test?" _This cannot be happening_. Derek was freaking out in his head. He wasn't emotionally ready for a baby. He wasn't even emotionally ready to be back at work, but had worked around the system.

"I might as well. It can't hurt. Better safe than sorry."

"Ok. Let's go to the clinic and get the supplies and I'll draw the blood."

After Derek drew the blood and sent it off to the lab with the orders that only Dr. Derek Shepherd, Dr. Meredith Grey, and Dr. Cristina Yang could see the results. "Go get something to eat and relax. Mer, don't worry about it."

"Okay, I'll try." Meredith smiled weakly at her husband and walked towards the cafeteria.

The day seemed to drag on and on from that point on. Every time a lab came in, Meredith would hold her breath. Just when she thought she was never going to breathe again, she saw one come through with her name on it. She didn't want to see the results alone. She paged Cristina and Derek and had them meet her in the on call room. When they arrived, they started asking Meredith all kinds of questions.

"What did it say?" Derek asked.

"Are you prego?" Cristina tried to glance at the paper.

Meredith looked down and saw the results. She was….

**A/N: Sorry to end it in a cliffhanger. Just wanted to leave you hanging for the weekend. :) Will have something posted by Sunday this time. I promise. I'm also sorry that it took me soooo long to update. I promise this story will continue. But I have been hitting roadblocks with my writing. So if any of you have some ideas, such as Should Derek have a nervous breakdown like Lexie did in the season 7 premiere? Or any other ideas review :) Let me know. I would very much appreciate it.**


	5. Over My Head

"**Over My Head"**

**A/N: Thanks to shirsla, edwardbella4ever4773, aiLing, and Melissaluvga for reviewing. shirsla and aiLing: this chapter should tell you what's going to happen. edwardbella4ever4773 I'm sorry you want to kill me lol. And Melissaluvga thanks for the suggestion. Sorry to everyone else that it has taken me this long yet again to get the next chapter going. I'm rarely at home Sunday through Friday due to school and work. So enjoy this story. I will have a poll up on my page and I will tell you why at the end :) and Thanks to my beta bff Elleluvssev :)**

_From I'm so sick (just a recap)__:_

"_What did it say?" Derek asked._

"_Are you prego?" Cristina tried to glance at the paper._

_Meredith looked down and saw the results. She was…._

"**Over My Head"**

….pregnant. Derek couldn't believe that this was actually happening. _I cannot deal with this right now. I'm not ready._ He knew Meredith wanted a baby really badly. But he just wasn't ready yet. He didn't think he deserved to live after all of those people died that day. He hadn't told Meredith or Owen how he felt, but didn't feel the need to. He didn't want to worry them.

"Oh my God," Meredith looked down at the test. Derek looked at her with a mask of excitement to hide his worry and disbelief. _Why is this happening now? I cannot handle this now._

"Congrats, Mer. Derek's gonna be a daddy!" Cristina did a happy dance and gave her best friend a hug.

"Derek, what are you thinking?" Meredith looked up at her husband with a sense of glee in her eyes.

"Congratulations honey. I'm excited." Derek faked smiled at his wife.

Meredith believed his enthusiasm and turned to Cristina, they left the room, leaving Derek by himself. _What am I going to do? How am I going to deal with this on top of everything else?_

Derek walked up to Owen later on that day. "I hear congratulations are in order." Owen looked up at Derek.

"Thanks," Derek said looking down at the chart on the counter of the nurse's desk.

"Look, I know this is hard to deal with right now, but Meredith needs you and the baby needs you. I know that look when I see it. Don't do anything stupid, Derek." Owen said remembering how his time in Iraq had affected him in a way that reminded him of what Derek was going through.

"What makes you think I'm going to do something stupid?" Derek asked.

Owen walked off not saying anything, just giving Derek a knowing look.

Later on that day, Derek was walking on the catwalk. Contemplating what to do about this situation he had gotten himself into, he paced back and forth in the middle of it. This was also the first time he had been on the catwalk since the shooting.

He still remembers walking through the hospital, putting it on lockdown, and telling Meredith and Cristina to stay in the closet. After telling them, he walked out to the catwalk, where he was shot. He still remembers the pain. And barely remembers Meredith freaking out right after he was shot.

He was looking down at the ground floor. _If I just leaned too far over, this could all disappear._ Derek started to lean over. _I know I can't deal with this right now. I can't take care of Meredith, much less a baby, I can barely take care of myself._ Derek leaned a little further. _Just a little further…and it could all be over._

**A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long…Didn't mean to leave you all hanging for this long…Sorry that it's such a short chapter as well, I had a lot of writer's block with this one. The poll I mentioned at the beginning will be on if Meredith should have a single baby or twins/triplets… you decide :) R/R with suggestions, comments, and let me know what you think.**


	6. Author's Note

**A/N: Sorry about not having new chapters up. Wanted to post this to let you know it will be on hiatus till the end of the semester which is December 8****th****, 2010. I'm sorry for turning into the type of author I hate, but this semester has been really really hard. Thanks for understanding. Don't forget about my poll on my page and to review the last chapter.. Love you all for supporting this story :) Have a very happy Thanksgiving :)**


	7. Just In Time

"**Just In Time"**

**A/N: Thanks edwardbella4ever4773 and AiLing for reviewing. I promise nothing drastic is going to happen. I like Derek too much for that :). BTW my poll should still be up if anyone wants to vote. It'll be up until Friday, New Years Eve. Sorry it has been so long since my last short update. I've had some medical issues in the past few weeks I had to deal with after finals. And Alabama got a white Christmas, which was a wonderful surprise. I hope all of you had a wonderful and Merry Christmas and that ya'll have a Happy New Year. Enjoy this chapter..and I promise to have the next chapter up very very soon :).**

_From "Over My Head" (just a recap):_

He was looking down at the ground floor. _If I just leaned too far over, this could all disappear._ Derek started to lean over. _I know I can't deal with this right now. I can't take care of Meredith, much less a baby, I can barely take care of myself._ Derek leaned a little further. _Just a little further…and it could all be over._

"**Just In Time"**

Owen was walking to talk to Chief Webber about a patient, when he sees Derek leaning over the catwalk looking like an idiot. _What the hell is he doing?_ Owen thought. Just at that moment, Derek looks up and sees Owen. _I hope he didn't see this and think what he thought earlier._

"Hey, what were you looking at so intently there, Dr. Shepherd?" Owen looked at Derek with a worried look on his face.

"Oh just thought I would take a breather and enjoy the view. Look, Owen, don't tell Meredith about any of this. I've thought about what you said. You're right. Meredith and the baby need me right now." Derek spilled his guts figuratively on the catwalk, in the exact spot he had literally six months earlier.

"Ok, I won't. But don't do anything else stupid. I've got my eye on you, Shepherd." Owen started walking off. "If you need to talk, page me."

"Ok." Derek said goodbye to Owen and started walking across the catwalk to go and find Meredith. _Why am I so stupid? Mere and the baby need me._ It took him a while to track Meredith down. She was in surgery with Dr. Bailey working on a bowel resection.

When Derek found her, he sat in the gallery and watched her gracefully do her work. He was so in love with her. Why did he ever want to hurt himself to get away from his little problems? His patients also needed him.

Meredith was washing up after the surgery she performed with Dr. Bailey. She saw Derek sitting in the gallery, obviously waiting on her. She finished up and walked out of the O.R. area to find Derek leaning against the wall. "Hey, what's wrong? Why do you have that look on your face?" Meredith was looking at the look of relief on Derek's face.

Derek approached Meredith, leaned in and kissed her. "I want you to know I love you so much. And I love this baby so much. I want you to know that I am in this for the long run. I am not going anywhere. I promise."

Meredith, looking confused at first, smiled at Derek. "I love you too, Derek." _I wonder what brought this on all of a sudden._ Meredith kissed her husband. Life was getting better and better with each day. Slowly but surely everyone was healing from the shooting and the hospital was getting back on its own two feet, figuratively of course.

It was finally Thanksgiving. The whole Shepherd clan was coming to visit. Meredith was now sporting a nice baby bump as well. Meredith's sisters and father were coming as well. This made Derek nervous. He had a few bad run-ins with Thatcher, particularly on his treatment of Meredith as a child and as an adult. As he looked at his wife and thought about the future, he thought _Life is good._

**A/N: To be continued. I felt that if I put the holidays in on this chapter it would get too long…so the next chapter..already in my head…is going to be a busy and fun filled chapter. I will hopefully write it in the next day or two. And I plan to have it up before new years :) But just in case I don't, I hope everyone has a happy new year :) and Review…I would also appreciate ideas on future chapters :) I feel this story will end when Meredith has the baby, but don't worry I already have sequel ideas rummaging around in my brain as well.. Enjoy, and R/R.**


	8. It's The Holiday Season Part One

"**It's the Holiday Season Part One"**

**A/N: Thanks to edwardbella4ever4773 for reviewing..Happy New Year…and enjoy this chapter..The more reviews I get the faster I write..**

_From "Just In Time" (just a recap):_

It was finally Thanksgiving. The whole Shepherd clan was coming to visit. Meredith was now sporting a nice baby bump as well. Meredith's sisters and father were coming as well. This made Derek nervous. He had a few bad run-ins with Thatcher, particularly on his treatment of Meredith as a child and as an adult. As he looked at his wife and thought about the future, he thought _Life is good._

"**It's the Holiday Season Part One"**

_Ding dong._ The families were arriving for Thanksgiving weekend. _Here goes nothing._ Meredith wasn't comfortable with family functions. Meredith walked to the door and opened it. It was Derek's mother, Carolyn, and his youngest sister, Amelia. She had already met them through other circumstances in the past year. "Hey, how are you?" Meredith leaned and hugged Carolyn and then hugged Amelia.

"We're wonderful. You look great, Meredith." Amelia exclaimed. Carolyn agreed.

"Where is Derek at? I wanted to talk to him for a few minutes." Carolyn looked around the living room where Meredith had led him.

"Oh, he's right through those doors, in the kitchen." Meredith told her. Amelia looked around. "Nice place."

"Thanks." Meredith found it awkward to be alone with Amelia. Amelia was friends with Addison for one and worked in Los Angeles with her. That was probably the reason.

_Ding dong._ Meredith walked back towards the door. _Where's Lexie and Alex? I didn't see them leave this morning._ Lexie and Alex lived with Meredith and Derek still. They just tended to stay away since Meredith's pregnancy. Just then Lexie ran down the stairs almost colliding with Meredith. "Woah, slow down there." Meredith jumped back.

"Sorry, but Dad's here. And I figured you needed help down here," nodding towards Amelia and the kitchen.

"Thanks. Where's Alex? I thought you both had skipped out on me." Meredith glanced at her.

"Upstairs getting ready." Lexie skipped past her and answered the door. "Hey dad. Molly, Eric. It's great to see you both too. And Laura is getting so big."

Five-year-old Laura ran up and hugged her aunt. "Hi Aunt Lexie. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Laura. There's someone I want you to meet. She hasn't seen you since you were born. This is your Aunt Meredith."

"Are you having a BABY!" Laura had big wide eyes as she looked Meredith over. Laura ran over to her aunt and gave her and the baby a big hug.

Meredith looked up at Molly. They haven't spoken since Lexie and Molly's mom died under Meredith's care. "Hey, Dad, Molly. I'm glad you all came."

"I'm glad we did too. Laura needed to get to know her Aunt Meredith too you know."

_Whew. I'm glad that worked out._ "She has grown so much."

"Yea. She's loving Kindergarten so far. So have you found out what your having yet?"

"Actually, no. We are actually finding out tomorrow. Go figure. Especially with all the family in town."

Meredith looked over to find Amelia having a blast with Laura. _I hope it goes well._

About an hour later, the rest of Derek's sisters showed up with their respective husbands and children. Her house was filled with the seams. _I forgot how big Derek's family is._ There was Kathleen and her husband, David. They have five children; twelve-year-old Sophia, nine-year-old Madison, seven-year-old Abigail, five-year-old Daniel, and three-year-old Emma. There was Nancy and her husband ,Michael. They have four children; eleven-year-old Jacob, eight-year-old Ethan, seven-year-old Natalie, and three-year-old Alexis. There was Emily and her husband, Robert. They have four children, seven-year-old Matthew, five-year-old Kelsey, two-year-old Isabella, and six month old Hannah.

Meredith was going crazy being pulled from sister to sister, and from dodging children. Laura was having a blast, especially with Daniel and Kelsey. But Meredith had decided that Christmas was going to be done somewhere else.

The next day Meredith and Derek walked into Seattle Grace to go check in with the obstetrician, Dr. Duncan. They were hoping to find out the sex of the baby today.

"How are both of you doing?" Dr Duncan asked as she prepped for the ultrasound.

"We're both doing fine. I'm just exhausted from family being over for the weekend." Meredith looked at her husband with a mean look on her face.

"Okay, let's get started." Dr. Duncan started doing the ultrasound and looking around Meredith's uterus. "Everything's looking great so far. Do you want to know the sex?"

"Definitely," Derek said.

"Okay, you are having a…"

**A/N: Sorry to leave it on a cliffhanger. Anyone wanna guess what it is? REVIEW WHAT YOU THINK IT WILL BE. WHEN I GET AT LEAST FIVE REVIEWS I'LL POST AGAIN :) ENJOY. And Happy New Year.**


	9. It's The Holiday Season Part Two

"**It's the Holiday Season Part Two"**

**A/N: Thanks to edwardbella4ever4773 and AiLing for reviewing. I figured I would go ahead and update despite only TWO reviews..come on people..and I didn't want to leave you two in suspense for a whole day :). **

_From "It's the Holiday Season Part One" (just a recap):_

The next day Meredith and Derek walked into Seattle Grace to go check in with the obstetrician, Dr. Duncan. They were hoping to find out the sex of the baby today.

"How are both of you doing?" Dr Duncan asked as she prepped for the ultrasound.

"We're both doing fine. I'm just exhausted from family being over for the weekend." Meredith looked at her husband with a mean look on her face.

"Okay, let's get started." Dr. Duncan started doing the ultrasound and looking around Meredith's uterus. "Everything's looking great so far. Do you want to know the sex?"

"Definitely," Derek said.

"Okay, you are having a…"

"**It's the Holiday Season Part Two"**

"Okay, you are having a little girl! Congratulations!" Dr. Duncan exclaimed.

"Oh my God, Derek we're having a little girl." Meredith was ecstatic. Derek was beaming with joy. Now they had to go tell their families. Somehow everyone had ended up coming back to Meredith's house this morning while they were getting ready. That had to be all Lexie.

They headed back to the house excited to tell their loved ones and to end this weekend so they could start on the nursery. They wanted to have it done before they went to New York for Christmas. They were going to do Christmas with Meredith's dad and sisters on New Years Eve. As they pulled into the driveway, Derek looked over at Meredith, knowing how bad she hated crowds, especially his crowd called a family. "You ready?"

"I suppose. When does your family go back again?" Meredith looked over at her husband with joking eyes.

"Their flight is like at six in the morning. You don't have to get up. I'll take them." Derek said smiling at his four month pregnant wife.

"Oh, no. They've spotted us. Run!" Meredith laughed as she got out of the car. Derek followed suite and beat Meredith to the front door.

"Hey, mom. Everyone." Derek said laughing. Everyone had came into the front room and were standing there waiting expectantly. Even all of the kids, except for Hannah who was in her mother's arms, were sitting on the stairs waiting patiently to hear what their new cousin will be. "We're having a beautiful baby…"he paused for dramatic effect. "Girl."

The family went crazy. They all came up and hugged Meredith and congratulated her. The rest of the day was baby girl talk. Even the kids were talking about what they were going to teach the little girl to do as she grew up.

Meredith woke up the next morning and the house was surprisingly quiet. When she didn't feel her husband next to her, she remembered why. His family had gone back to their homes, finally. She didn't think she could take another day with his family. She loved them and all, she just wasn't use to being around a large family. She did grow up an only child, didn't she?

The next month was a flurry of baby activities. Lexie, Alex, Jackson, and April were a big help, painting the baby's room a light yellow color, just in case either she came out a boy or a brother came along later on. There was one day where Alex, Jackson, and Derek spent just putting everything together and putting it where Meredith wanted it. They finally had everything ready.

They were flying out to New York on December 23, so the day before they were packing up a storm. Meredith was now five months pregnant and had grown tremendously since Thanksgiving. His sisters' were going to have a cow when they saw her last. The next day, Lexie and Alex drove them to the airport and promised the house would be fine. Meredith didn't want Lexie to throw any "intern" parties while she was gone.

The flight was uneventful and relaxing for Meredith. When they landed, Kathleen was there to pick them up and take them to his mother's house. Just as Meredith had feared, Derek's sisters went bananas on how big she had gotten, and had she been taking care of herself. Meredith kept saying "I'm fine." "I'm not working too hard." His sisters weren't too convinced, but Derek finally got his sisters to chill and just to enjoy time with everyone. The kids were all excited to see Meredith again and were attracted to her. Kids had never been attracted to her but since she became pregnant and Derek's post it note wife, children somehow always wanted her and loved her.

Christmas morning came and all of the children came and woke up all the adults, even Meredith and Derek, who figured they should get use to it because soon they would have a rugrat of their own to wake them up Christmas morning too. They watched as the children ripped into presents and showed what they received to their parents. Kelsey even came over to Meredith and Derek to get help opening a Barbie doll she had received.

As fast as Christmas came, it also was gone just as fast. Soon it was time to leave New York and head back to Seattle. They said their goodbyes and boarded the plane home. _Now let's hope Lexie heeded my advice and my house is still in one piece._ Meredith was so ready to be back in her own bed.

**A/N: Happy New Year's day. I hope everyone had a safe and fun New Year's Eve. Please leave me reviews so I will be inspired to keep writing :).**


	10. Happy New Year

**A/N: Sorry it's been sixteen days since I last updated. I'm normally not that behind on things. I should have been writing during the famous Alabama snowstorm last week…but I got distracted while being snowed in. I thought I would update today since I start back to school tomorrow. I am going to try my best to keep up better than I did last semester. And please review. It motivates me to write after I do homework and such.**

"**Happy New Year"**

It was New Years Day. Meredith's family was coming over for their Christmas get together. Meredith and Derek had spent the day before resting from their trip to New York to see his family. Meredith awkwardly rolled over in bed to face her sleeping husband. It was hard to believe that in two short weeks she would be six months pregnant. Derek stirred and finally awoke and saw Meredith looking at him, taking in his every feature. "Morning, beautiful."

"Good morning, handsome." Meredith got out of the bed slowly, wincing as she got up.

Derek looked at his wife with concern. "What's wrong?"

"My back's got a cramp in it is all. This baby girl needs to get out of my rib cage and stop kicking my spinal column every chance she gets." Meredith headed to the bathroom. "And when she's not kicking my spine, she's using my bladder as a soccer ball."

Derek followed his wife to the bathroom. _I'm hoping that's all it is._ Being married to Addison Montgomery for years, and hearing her OB/GYN stories, good and bad, had Derek worrying about his wife.

Later on that day, Derek and Meredith were welcoming her dad, Thatcher, her sister and brother-in-law, Molly and Eric, and rambunctious Laura. Laura ran in and hugged Meredith carefully. She then put her ear to Meredith's tummy and tried listening to the baby. "Why can't I hear her?" Laura said after listening for a few minutes.

Meredith looked Laura right in the eye and said, "It's because she was a bad little girl last night and kept mommy up. She's probably sleeping right now."

"I'll have to teach her some things when she comes out. Like to listen to mommy and daddy and be good." Laura grinned up at her aunt. "Where's Aunt Lexie?"

"That's right, Laura. And Aunt Lexie was also a bad little girl and wouldn't get up this morning because she was coloring with Mr. Alex last night." Meredith laughed to herself as she remembered the noises coming from their room last night.

About that time, Lexie and Alex came bounding down the stairs. Laura ran up to them and started giving Lexie a lecture, or as well as a five-year-old could. "Aunt Lexie and Mr. Alex. You do not need to stay up after bedtime to color anymore." Everyone in the room, except Lexie and Alex, busted out in laughter. Lexie and Alex turned scarlet in embarrassment.

They all went into the living room to start their impromptu celebration. Laura went wild opening up all of her presents from her grandfather and aunts. Meredith got up to go get some drinks for everyone in the kitchen. She went about in the kitchen, getting her dad and Derek a scotch, Alex a beer, her sisters some water, and Laura some apple juice. As she placed everything on a tray to take back in the living room, she realized she didn't have anything for herself. Reaching back to the cabinet, she grabbed herself a glass and walked over to the refrigerator for some water. _Okay, now to get back to the action._

Meredith came down the hall back towards the living room. Her back was screaming in pain again. She was also getting a headache. _I just got to make it to the couch and I'll be fine._ Just as she reached the doorway, everything went black.

**A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger ya'll. I'll write again tomorrow. And I know new years was like two weeks ago, and I intended to write this story that day, but other things came up. Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as well.**


	11. Something Worth Fighting For

**A/N: Thanks to AiLing, MoniqueC, and SeriouslyMcDreaming for reviewing.**

_From "Happy New Year" (just a recap):_

Meredith came down the hall back towards the living room. Her back was screaming in pain again. She was also getting a headache. _I just got to make it to the couch and I'll be fine._ Just as she reached the doorway, everything went black.

"**Something Worth Fighting For"**

Derek ran over to where Meredith blacked out. "Meredith, wake up, Meredith!" Derek started panicking. He realized that her back hurting this morning had to be something worse. He glanced over at Thatcher and the rest of the Grey bunch. "Lexie, call 911."

Three days later, Meredith woke up in a familiar place, but in an unfamiliar way. _How the hell did I end up at Seattle Grace? I was just at home._ Meredith looked up to see Derek asleep, with his head on her hand with no IV. _What happened?_ Derek looked so peaceful from the viewpoint.

Derek stirred and woke up to find Meredith staring at him exactly how she had New Year's morning. "Hey, how are you feeling? You gave us a scare."

"I'm irritated because I do not know why I am here. What happened?"

"Do you remember anything from New Years Day?" Derek looked down at his wife worried.

"I remember getting everyone drinks in the kitchen and then I started walking back to the living room. I had a headache and my back was killing me again. And then I woke up here, wondering how the hell I got here." Meredith realized something was probably wrong. "What about the baby? Is she still okay?"

"Don't worry, she's fine. It turns out that the back pain you were having was a severe kidney infection. And you're headache was preeclampsia. Needless to say, you are officially on bedrest for the next four months. I'm sorry, Meredith."

"Great. I hate being at home all of the time." Meredith was thinking of all the work she was going to miss. _I hope that this doesn't get me behind in the Chief Resident race._

Meredith rested on and off the rest of the week, while Dr. Bailey monitored her kidney infection and her blood pressure. As she put it she "wanted to be sure she wouldn't see Meredith in a hospital bed until the day the baby was born."

Meredith got to go home a week after the incident. As she went up the stairs with Derek, she started wondering about names. "What should we name her? We haven't even thought about that yet. I'm sick of saying her all of the time and not having a name for her."

They sat down on the bed. Derek looked at his wife as he got her settled in for the long run. "What about Ellis or Carolyn? Those are our mothers' names, ya know?"

"I don't want to use those names for first names..Maybe use one of them for a middle name?"

"I think we should use your mom's name. You know, to honor her memory and such."

"That's a good idea. Now for a first name."

They spent the next few hours trying to decide on a name for their beautiful baby girl. They crossed off many names, and couldn't decide between a good many more. Even though she was stuck in bed for at least the next four months, she was glad her husband would be at her side. At least most of the time.

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is shorter than normal. I think I may be winding down this story and starting on a sequel, which I already have a title for _Bright and Shiny Life. _But there is one chapter left of this one so I'll start writing the next one when I finish this one :) enjoy :)**


	12. Bring Me to Life

**A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long to update. This semester was a wild one. And now that I have all my course work but a presentation and 3 finals done, I thought I would start on finishing this story so I can start on the sequel. Enjoy. And R/R. Please..**

"**Bring Me to Life"**

The day had finally arrived. After four long months of being on bed rest, the baby was finally going to make an appearance into the world. They still didn't have the perfect name yet either.

"Welcome back, Grey," Dr. Bailey said as Meredith waddled into the E.R. "Glad to see you back under these circumstances."

"Thanks," Meredith smiled through labor pains. "I'm just ready for her to show her little face."

Dr. Bailey went and got a wheelchair for Meredith to sit in. "Now let's get you to O.B. and get this party started."

A few hours later, Meredith still wasn't past two centimeters. _Come on baby. I'm ready for you to be here so mommy can go back to a normal life._

Derek had gone out for lunch and came back with leftovers to see if Meredith wanted to try to eat something. "Do you want to try to eat something?" He gestured toward his burger and fries.

"No, Derek. I'm not eating until little Shepherd decides to come out. We need to figure out a first name still for her. I mean we can't call her little Shepherd for the rest of her life."

The next few hours they were bouncing ideas off each other only stopping when Lucy, the new O.B. doctor came in to check Meredith's dilation. Finally, they decided on a name.

"Kennedy Ellis Shepherd. It has a nice ring to it." Meredith was ecstatic that they now had a name for their little girl. After months of fighting and arguing about names, they finally found one they both liked.

When Cristina came in for a visit later that afternoon, Meredith told her the good news. "We came up with a name."

Cristina glanced between Derek and Meredith. "You mean, the both of you stopped arguing long enough to agree on something." Cristina had spent every possible waking moment either at the hospital working or sitting with Meredith the past four months and had known how hard it had been to come up with a name.

"Yea." Meredith was grinning ear to ear. By this point she was finally six centimeters. It had only taken her eight hours to get this far.

It was finally time to push. Meredith was ready. She was ready to be a mother. Derek got beside her and held her hand. "Let's do this. Let's have a baby." Meredith started pushing.

"Why does this hurt so much?" Meredith was screaming in pain.

Lucy looked up at her. "Meredith this is normal. Just keep pushing."

Meredith pushed and pushed. "Just a few more pushes, Meredith. You're doing great." Lucy looked down at the baby's head. "I see the head. Push really hard Meredith. Just one more time."

Meredith pushed with all of her might. "We have a baby girl. Congratulations Meredith and Derek." Lucy handed little Kennedy to Arizona to be checked out.

"She's beautiful, Meredith. She's got ten little fingers and ten little toes." Arizona said as she was checking the baby's vital signs. Arizona noticed a problem however. Arizona listened to the baby's heart and noticed that Kennedy had a heart murmur. "I'm going to go and run some tests just to be sure I don't miss anything."

Meredith looked at Derek who had been watching Arizona like a hawk. "What's wrong, Derek? What's wrong with Kennedy?"

"Arizona is just being thorough, Mer. We are VIPs, ya know." Derek said trying to comfort Meredith. He knew something was going on, but didn't want to alarm Meredith. "I'm going to go help Arizona out, okay? I'll be right back." Derek left the room in search for where Arizona went with Kennedy. He finally found them in the NICU. "Arizona, please tell me what is going on with Kennedy."

"Derek, she's going to be fine. She just has a heart murmur. After the tests I perform we'll know more." Arizona walked out of the NICU headed to the lab with Kennedy's blood samples.

_Great. Now Meredith really is going to freak out._

After Lucy got Meredith cleaned up, Meredith was resting in her room wondering where the hell Kennedy and Derek had gone. Just when she was about to page Cristina, who she knew would tell her the truth, Derek walked in.

"Hey, Mer." Derek looked up at Meredith with a worried look in his eyes.

"What's wrong? Where's Kennedy?" Meredith started to panic.

"Meredith, she's going to be fine. Arizona found a heart murmur and is running tests to determine how bad it is. She's going to be fine."

Meredith looked up at Derek with tears in her eyes. "You promise. Promise you're not sugar coating it."

"I'm not, Mer. I promise. I wouldn't do that to you because I love you and Kennedy too much."

Before they knew it, Arizona walked in the room with a huge grin on her face. "Great news. Kennedy does have a heart murmur, but it's mild. With monitoring she is going to be just fine. It is not life threatening."

Relief flooded Derek and Meredith's veins. They hugged each other and kissed. "Can we see her now?" Meredith was anxious to hold her beautiful baby girl.

Two weeks later, Derek, Meredith, and a very healthy Kennedy made their way home. Kennedy was already growing like a weed and thriving on life. As Meredith laid Kennedy down for a nap in her crib, she heard the doorbell ring. _Who could that be?_

Before she could answer it, she heard Derek open the door. Padding down the stairs she was shocked to find Addison and a little girl looking about five years old.

"Derek. I would like to introduce you to your daughter, Kinsley."

**A/N: So this is where I end this story. The sequel is coming soon called "Bright and Shiny Life." Please review and tell me what you think of this shocking discovery.**


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